Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Sport Science, Institute III, Otto von Guericke University, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104, Magdeburg, Germany.
Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 29;14(1):20162. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-70857-x.
The benefits of learning a motor skill extend to improved task-specific cognitive abilities. The mechanistic underpinnings of this motor-cognition relationship potentially rely on overlapping neural resources involved in both processes, an assumption lacking causal evidence. We hypothesize that interfering with prefrontal networks would inhibit concurrent motor skill performance, long-term learning and associated cognitive functions dependent on similar networks (transfer). We conducted a randomised, double-blinded, sham-controlled brain stimulation study using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in young adults spanning over three weeks to assess the role of the prefrontal regions in learning a complex balance task and long-term cognitive performance. Balance training combined with active tDCS led to higher performance variability in the trained task as compared to the sham group, impacting the process of learning a complex task without affecting the learning rate. Furthermore, active tDCS also positively influenced performance in untrained motor and cognitive tasks. The findings of this study help ascertaining the networks directly involved in learning a complex motor task and its implications on cognitive function. Hence, opening up the possibility of harnessing the observed frontal networks involved in resource mobilization in instances of aging, brain lesion/injury or dysfunction.
学习运动技能的好处还延伸到改善特定于任务的认知能力。这种运动认知关系的机械基础可能依赖于两个过程中涉及的重叠神经资源,这一假设缺乏因果证据。我们假设,干扰前额叶网络会抑制同时进行的运动技能表现、长期学习以及依赖于类似网络的相关认知功能(转移)。我们在年轻人中进行了一项随机、双盲、假刺激对照的脑刺激研究,使用经颅直流电刺激(tDCS)持续三周,以评估前额区域在学习复杂平衡任务和长期认知表现中的作用。与假刺激组相比,平衡训练结合主动 tDCS 导致训练任务中的表现变异性更高,从而影响复杂任务的学习过程,而不影响学习速度。此外,主动 tDCS 也对未训练的运动和认知任务的表现产生了积极影响。这项研究的结果有助于确定直接参与学习复杂运动任务的网络及其对认知功能的影响。因此,有可能在衰老、脑损伤/损伤或功能障碍的情况下利用观察到的涉及资源动员的额前网络。